


"The Uneasy Road to True Love"

by melocallia



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-16
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 15:09:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4142352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melocallia/pseuds/melocallia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After spending a long a rum soaked night on the Jolly, Killian gets an unlikely visitor and a reason to move forward. And so begins a quest to bring Emma home and finding a way to save her and the world from The Darkness</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written by my friend gijane7702 and with her permission she is allowing me to post it here to Ao3 so that all the chapters are in one place and more people can read this great story. :)  
> Also we do not own any part of Once of their characters, this is just plain old fan made fun. :)

_“Emma! Emma, please! No, don’t do this.”_  
  
_“I love you.”_

  
  
Killian Jones sat on railing of his ship, The Jolly Roger, staring blankly out at the horizon, while nursing his flask. The sun was just beginning to rise. Normally the horizon calmed him, gave him a sense of peace, but this early morning it only served as a reminder of the last time he sat with her as they looked at the horizon. A quiet moment that had been so few and far between as of late.  
  
He should have felt how drunk he was, but he was in mind-numbing shock. He didn’t feel a thing. The last words that he and his love, Emma Swan, had exchanged, before she was sucked away by The Darkness , vanished to God only knows where. Those three simple but powerful words had been repeating over and over in his mind all night.  
  
The creaking of the gangway planks snapped Killian back to reality. He had been expecting either of Emma’s parents or Regina or even Robin Hood to show at any time. But he was surprised to see it was Emma’s son, Henry, coming towards him. Killian capped his flask and tucked it away before swinging around 180 degrees away from his vigil of the horizon. He could tell by the devastated look on the boy’s face that someone had informed him what had happened the night before.   
  
“Morning, lad,” he said with a fake smile and in a fake voice that both felt flat even to him.  
  
Henry did not stop until they were face to face. Wordlessly, he handed Killian a huge steaming hot cup of coffee as he reached around to the flask’s hidden pocket, removed the rum, and tucked it in the inside pocket of his own jacket.   
  
“Mom says we’re supposed to be at Granny’s in 30 minutes for a meeting.” The boy answered skipping any form of greeting in lieu of getting straight to the point. Killian nodded understanding and attempted to stand only to nearly fell flat on his face onto the deck. Half the coffee spilled as Henry grabbed his upper arms to steady him and sat him back down. “But Robin told me to come get you; to get you…freshened up first.”  
  
“How’d he know?”  
  
“He had Will stop by a few times during the night to check on you.” He took Killian’s coffee and held out a paper bag. Killian took it and found an egg, bacon with cheese everything bagel sandwich... his favorite, inside. He tried not to hear Emma’s teasing voice on how he was well on the way to a heart attack because he ate them as frequently as he did.  
  
“Damn thief,” Killian scowled, taking a huge bite.  
  
Henry grinned. “Didn’t hear him at all, did you?”   
  
“Not a sound,” he grumbled out a reply around alternating mouthfuls of food and coffee.   
  
Henry bent down and scooped up the one empty bottle of rum then another that was half full. “I know you were a pirate and all…but where’d even you put all this?”   
  
Killian raised a surprised eyebrow, but didn’t comment. Henry took the now empty sandwich bag and jammed the empty bottle in it, then took Killian’s coffee from him and placed on the railing. “We’ll get that on the way out. We need to get you moving.” He held out a hand for Killian to grasp and helped him to his feet.  
  
“How old are you again, lad?” Killian asked as they haphazardly made their way to the hatch leading to the Captain’s Quarters.   
“I’m twelve,” Henry replied as he assisted Killian, who was now beginning to realize exactly how intoxicated he was, down the ladder.   
  
“I’m so sorry, Henry,” he told him in a dead serious tone as they reached the bottom. “You’re far too young to have to deal with me. With…this.”  
  
Henry looked him square in the eye. “I’ve done a lot of growing up in the past few days, first, with that whole other alternate reality and now with Mom missing and the aftermath. I think I’m okay to handle one drunken ex-pirate…especially if my mother loves him. And… guessing by how drunk you got last night, I’m thinking you love her right back.”  
  
“I didn’t get to tell her, Henry...” Killain said quietly, tears welling up in his eyes. He blinked rapidly to get rid of them.   
  
“We’re going to find her…just so you can tell her you love her,” Henry, blinking back his own tears, told him in such a voice that Killian actually believed him. “Now, get freshened up. Can you imagine the look on Her Majesty’s face if she smelled you right now?”   
  
Killian snorted with laughter, he could well imagine the look on Regina’s face. Their relationship was tenuous enough without him making it any worse at the moment. Henry guided him to his basin and mirror. Killian grabbed the bucket of basin water and dunked his head in. He came up spluttering since the water (being that it was only early spring in coastal Maine) was ice cold. “Bloody hell!” he yelped.   
  
“All better now? “ Henry asked in an amused voice.   
  
“Sober now,” Killian grunted, repeating the process twice more for good measure. He began removing his jacket, vest and shirt. “Be a good lad and fetch me a clean shirt from my trunk. No time for a proper bath, a sponging will have to do…. What??” he asked seeing in the mirror at the look of horror on the boy’s face.  
  
“Is that…contraption…how you keep the hook on?” Henry sputtered out.  
  
Killian turned around to face him, touching the leather harness that went across his chest and shoulders, then down his arm. “Aye, lad, it is.”   
  
“That thing looks like it…hurts.” He handed the man a clean shirt. “We need to get you a modern prosthesis.”  
  
“I’ll put it on my to-do list. New hook right after we find your mother, find Merlin, break her of The Dark One Curse, yet find a way to control The Darkness so it doesn’t harm another soul, and then manage to get all of us home.”  
  
“Soooo…just another day in Storybrooke,” Henry said sarcastically but with a small smile on his face.  
  
“Exactly, lad.” Killian returned the smile then turned as Henry assisted him into his clean shirt. “Not that I care about him…but he is your grandfather and Belle is my friend…how is the crocodile?”  
  
“He’s in the hospital in that magically-induced coma that The Apprentice…who is dead…put him in. Belle is there with him.”  
  
“And the others?” Killian asked as he finished cleaning himself up feeling more himself by the moment.  
  
“Mom…my other mom…is a complete guilt-ridden disaster, but trying not to let me see. Robin was with her all night. I left so she could break down without worrying about me. Went to the loft…not that it helped. Grandma didn’t sleep all night, crying that she lost Mom, again. Uncle Neal accompanied her. And Grandpa was at a loss on how to comfort Grandma, Neal, what to do, and everything. It’s been a…weird...night.”  
  
Killian, now completely dressed, marched over to a downtrodden Henry sitting at the desk. He squatted down so they were eye level. “I give you my word, Henry, I’m going to be here for you,” he said. “And it begins with this.” He stood up, grabbed the half full bottle of rum, walked it over to the porthole, opened it, and dumped out the remaining liquid. “Not another drop until I find Emma, save her, and bring her home to you.” he promised not only to the boy but to himself as well. “Here, you can keep the flask.”   
  
Henry looked surprised, but grateful as he took it. “Thanks, Killian.”  
  
“Lad, it seems that everyone…myself included… has fallen apart at your mother’s disappearance. We’re…what did the pointy-eared alien bloke from that moving picture you showed me tell his Mate? To prove what he was after he lost his mother?”  
  
“That he was “emotionally compromised” Henry supplied and Killian smiled.  
  
“Yes, that…we’re all “emotionally compromised”. When it comes to Emma, none of us will think straight for awhile. Except maybe for...“  
  
“Robin,” Henry finished, catching onto Killian’s train of thought. “Sure, he likes Mom…but he really doesn’t know her like the rest of us. So he’s not as emotionally attached.”  
  
“Exactly. One of us is going to have to step up and fill Emma’s leadership boots. And since we’re all “compromised”, I’m going to suggest he takes charge. When you were kidnapped, we knew who took you, well…we thought we knew that… and where. Yes, we were all emotionally involved, but this with your mother, it’s different.”  
  
“Right. We’ll be starting out from Square One. Where don’t even know where Mom is.”  
  
Killian stood, and then Henry did. The boy surprised him by wrapping his arms around his waist in a tight hug and Killian’s broken heart fluttered to life. This boy, Emma’s son, saw him as someone he could go to for comfort and in this moment it healed him a small bit. For Henry he would hold it together and work on reuniting Emma with her son.  
  
Holding him close, he told the boy, “It’ll be alright, lad. I promise you that Emma is my Happy Ending. I’ll go to the ends of the Earth, to any realm, to any time to find her. I will bring her home.”  
Henry detached himself from Killian with a sad smile and tears in his eyes. He nodded unable to voice his thanks and started towards the ladder. Over his shoulder as he began to climb, he finally said, “We’re going to be late for the meeting. Come on, Mr. Spock.”  
  
“Ah yes, that’s the bloke’s name,” Killian called to Henry’s feet as he began to climb. “Live Long and Prosper…and all that.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of losing Emma, everyone gathers at the loft to decided what needs to be done next to go find her and bring her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by gijane7702 and posted here with her permission.

_“You figured out how to take the Darkness out of me once…you need do it again…as heroes.”_  

 

  
Henry’s talking phone whistled as he and Killian left the docks and began the walk down Main Street to Granny’s. In one fluid movement, without even pausing, the boy had removed the phone from his pocket and was reading the text message. As he read, Killian noted there were more than the usual amount of Storybrooke residents out and about for so early in the morning…and they all were beginning to eye him and Henry up with blatantly curious looks. Normally, he never gave a second thought about people looking at him as he walked to wherever he was heading, being devilishly handsome and all tended to get them looking. But this time it was different, they were staring and trying not to stare at him and the lad, looks of pity horribly veiled on their faces and it rubbed at him, like salt in a wound. He was glad for the boy’s distraction so he would not have to see.  
  
“It’s Mom,” Henry said. “Meeting location has been changed to the loft.” He slid the phone back into his pocket, tucking it away. The two took the next right off Main St. “Apparently Granny’s is already extremely busy this morning. Rumors are already flying around town-“  
  
So that explained how the townsfolk seemed to know...  
  
“Damn dwarf,” Killian growled. When would that man learn that sometimes things are best kept quiet so people could sort things out. Henry gave him a lopsided smile, but didn’t comment.  
  
They arrived at the apartment building. After being buzzed in by David, they didn’t even get to the last landing of the apartment when Regina yanked opened the door and ran down the stairs to meet them. She folded her son into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry, Henry,” she said simply.   
  
“It’s ok, Mom.” He replied in a tone that said he understood and he was fine. “ You weren’t exactly in the best frame of mind last night. And Will walked me here…before you ask.” Regina opened and closed her mouth, stepped back, and then took a long look at her son. Killian knew she was seeing what he had seen earlier: Henry the boy was gone and in his place was Henry the young man. “Thanks for worrying, Mom but you didn’t have to.” Henry said giving her a return hug, then adding, “I think Grandma and Grandpa needed me here.”  
  
“I think you were right.” She said with a hint of pride in her voice.  
  
As Henry climbed the remaining stairs to the apartment, Regina turned and greeted Killian, “Good morning, Captain.” For a moment he was cut off guard by her tone...gone was the usual distant formality that she used with him and now it was replaced with understanding and a sense of comaraderie.  
  
“Good morning, Your Majesty,” he replied with a slight bow and it was her turn to be caught off guard and her brow furrowed. Her gave her his most dashing smile and added, in teasing tone, “Well you’re the one who started off formally with the titles.”   
  
She rolled her eyes at him but couldn’t hide her smirk. “You know you can call me Regina.”  
  
“If that is what you like...Regina. Call me Killian. Or Hook…or whatever you prefer.”   
  
There was an awkward pause and Killian could see in her eyes that she wanted to say more to him, about the previous night’s events, but was uneasy and unsure how to approach the subject: a position she was not used to.   
  
“How are you doing, Regina?” he asked her in a gentle voice to break the tension.  
  
“I’ve been better,” she replied shortly, meeting his eyes with a sadness she could not hide, but then hers quickly darted away. Did she think he was going to blame her for Emma’ choice? Of course he wasn’t. “More importantly, how are you?” she asked.   
  
“Barely sober, a complete wreck emotionally, and physically exhausted,” he told her candidly.   
  
Regina’s eyes widened in surprise but then she understood what he was saying and doing. Surprising both of them, she pulled him into a hug and he let this once hardened woman give him some comfort and he welcomed it. With that simple move, their whole relationship shifted.   
  
From the apartment, Henry called out, “Ummm…Mom…Killian? You guys ok?”  
  
“We are now,” Killian called to Henry, breaking the embrace, but meant the words for Regina.  
  
She smiled at her then called back to her son, “What? Oh, yes! Of course. We will be right there.” Regina followed Killian up the stairs and into the apartment, and then shut the door.  
  
Now that he was inside, he could see that Henry had flopped down onto the couch, Mary Margaret was putting Neal in his bassinette, David was in the kitchen making coffee, and Robin was settling Roland down at the kitchen table. After a small fuss over the baby, Mary Margaret bustled over to Killian, and before he could greet anyone, enfolded him in a tight hug.  
  
“How are you this morning…Killian?” David asked him, awkwardly using his given name which he rarely ever did and to hear him saying it made him feel even determined not to lose sight of what his goal was. He was a part of this family now and he needed to remember that.  
  
As Killian hugged Mary Margaret back, he said “I’m much better now…thanks to the lad. I’m going tell you all what I told Henry: Emma is my Happy Ending. I’ll go to the ends of the Earth, to any realm, to any time, to find her. Together we will all find her,” he added.   
  
He didn’t think Mary Margaret could hug him any tighter, but apparently she could and David said, “We will, Killian. I know we will. Thank you.” Regina, now regally perched on a stool at the breakfast bar, nodded her agreement.   
  
Mary Margaret’s eyes seemed a little less troubled as she let go of him and joined her husband in the kitchen. David placed a kiss on her cheek, and then she asked, “Who’s hungry? Besides Roland of course,” she added as the toddler, now settled in his seat, began exclaiming his hunger. “Scrambled eggs for you, little one, coming right up.” Henry asked for eggs as well and Killian asked for some toast, to soak up the remaining alcohol in his system. Regina already had two coffee mugs and a banana in front of her.   
  
“Good morning, Hook,” Robin said as he walked over to greet him and hearty clap his hand on his back.   
  
“Morning, Robin,” he replied, giving him a friendly smile. Lowering his voice, he added, “Thank you…and Will…for your assistance last night.”  
  
Robin smiled at him, giving him and gentler pat this time , then just as quietly said, “Any time, Mate.”   
  
Crossing the room to the kitchen area, Killian took the stool next to Regina, and looked at David, “Is there still any of that coffee left, Mate?" Robin, who had followed him, reached around her and picked up one of the mugs.   
  
Killian gave David a grateful smile as a large steaming mug of black coffee was set in front of him, but nearly choked with laughter on his first sip as Regina quipped, “Sooooo…our town crier is doing his job extremely well this morning.” Killian could see her phone in her hand. The screen showed many text messages and missed calls. “What are we going to do about this?”  
  
“I’ll take care of Leroy,” Mary Margaret said as she set a plate of food and a glass of milk in front of Roland, who began gobbling it up.  
  
“Now…why does that sound like something The Evil Queen would have said,” Regina asked, raising an eyebrow. They all loved -or tolerated, in Regina and Killian’s cases- the dwarf, but Leroy gossiped more than anyone Killian knew…and he had lived on board a ship for a few hundred years where that was the only way to pass the time. Everybody knew everyone’s business, but this was ridiculous.  
  
“Because it was supposed to sound that way,” Mary Margaret replied serenely. Killian and Robin both choked on a sip of coffee at the surprised look on Regina’s face but David was wise enough to keep his mouth shut. Killian was pretty sure he saw a brief smirk  
  
“Well then…” Regina said, recovering and giving Robin a look that Killian wanted to laugh at, but was wise enough not to. “Onto the next issue.”   
  
The mood of the room abruptly became serious as she withdrew The Dark One’s Dagger from her coat pocket. Now bearing the name “Emma Swan” on it, she placed it onto the breakfast bar. “Who is taking responsibility for this?” and she looked pointedly at Killian.  
  
Killian drew a audibly sharp breath, unable to hide it. He instinctivly wanted to take it, the one object that linked him to his Swan. Her voice declaring her love for him replaying in his mind re-opening the fresh wound. He needed a drink again but no, he made a promise and he would not go back on it. He looked away from Regina forcing himself to decline the unspoken offer..even though he wanted to hold the dagger, he knew he wasn’t ready….and it hurt.  
  
When no one else spoke up Regina, sighed. “Well, I’m not going to keep it, but I will.” She looked at Killian again, and caught his gaze and gave him a sign of understanding. “Guess we’ll have figure that out later.” and he gave her the briefest of nods. “Right now though we have to figure out   
where the hell Emma is…because she’s not in Storybrooke or anywhere in this world. I tried Summoning her last night and she didn’t appear.”  
  
“Then she could be anywhere, couldn’t she?” David asked, a helpless look shining in his eyes.  
  
Killian caught Henry giving him a look. Clearing his throat, everyone looked at him and said, “I think we all can assist, but we’re all emotionally compromised concerning Emma. I don’t think any of us,” he indicated everyone in the room except Robin, “should be making the decisions.”  
  
“You want me to make them?” Robin asked, stunned realizing what Killian was implying.   
  
“Yes,” Killian told him simply.  
  
“Hook does have a point,” Regina said, looking at him with another newfound expression in her eyes: respect. “You’re not emotionally caught up in this, Robin.” Indicating each person as Killian had, she continued, “She’s not your mother. Or your daughter. Or your True Love. Or-“she took a deep breath, pointed at herself, and finished, “your savior.” She let out the breath while blinking away tears.  
  
“She’s my friend and don’t think for a moment this has not hit me hard also...” But when Robin looked at Henry, who nodded his head, then at Emma’s parents, both who also nodded their approval, he paused, took a deep breath, ran his fingers through his hair, and exhaled as Regina just had. “Well…alright then.”   
  
He settled Roland, now finished with his breakfast, in front of the television, and then came back over to stand next to Regina’s stool. Another deep breath, then Robin began, “We need to figure out where Emma is and how to get her back. We need to-“he paused then asked, “can someone write this down?” Mary Margaret ran into the kitchen and grabbed the notepad and pen off of the refrigerator. She quickly jotted down what Robin had already said. He continued, “We need to find a way to break her of The Dark One’s Curse-“  
  
“We need to find a way to defeat The Darkness itself,” Henry interrupted. “We need to break Mom of the Curse but we can’t just let someone else become The Dark One.”  
  
“Agreed,” said Regina.   
  
“And for that we need Merlin,” Henry finished.  
  
Regina looked surprised at the name. “Merlin?”  
  
“That’s what The Apprentice said before he passed,” Kilian said. “Only Merlin is powerful enough to defeat The Darkness once and for all.”  
  
“But…no one has seen or heard from him in hundreds of years,” she said.  
  
“He’s The Sorcerer,” Killian interjected.   
  
“Interesting,” Regina said, already in deep thought.  
  
Mary Margaret finished writing and read back like it was a grocery list, “Find Emma. Get her back. Find Merlin. Break Emma’s Curse. Defeat The Darkness.” Robin nodded his agreement. “Anything else?” she asked, trying not to look overwhelmed at the daughnting list they had created.  
  
No one said anything. There was complete silence, and then they all jumped as the front door buzzer rang. David walked over and answered it. “Hello?”  
  
“It’s Belle,” came the staticky answer over the intercom. David buzzed her in then answered the door for her a few moments later. “Good morning,” she said to everyone in the room as she entered.  
  
“Grandpa…??” Henry asked, rising.   
  
“He’s fine,” Belle rushed to assure him. Killian felt relieved. As much as he hated The Crocodile, Henry…all of them…didn’t need any more bad news. “Well…as fine as he can be. Dr Whale has his vitals steady now, but Blue and the fairies are doing most of the work, magically, keeping the coma up. Thank you,” she told Mary Margaret as the woman handed her a mug of coffee. “There was nothing more to do, so the doctor sent me home…said I needed sleep. But I can’t sleep. The town is crazy and I couldn’t find any of you at Granny’s…no one answered their phones…”  
  
“Sorry about that, love” Killian muttered and everyone else nodded in agreement.  
  
“It’s alright. I figured you were probably being bombarded by the townsfolk, so I assumed you were all here…so here I am. Is there anything I can do?”  
  
Everyone looked at Robin, who said, “You do just what the doctor ordered…go home and get some sleep.” Belle looked like she wanted to argue, but he added, “After at least six hours of rest you may come back and assist. Maybe by that time we will have something for you to research for us by then. Right now we are just trying to come up with where to start.”   
  
He paused seeing Belle’s crestfallen face and understanding, and then said, “On second thought maybe it’s best you stay here. Go upstairs and sleep. I’ll have someone stop by the shop and library for what you might need later on when you have awakened.”  
  
Belle smiled brightly through her tired eyes. “But you will sleep.” Robin continued on, “ You need it. We’ll call the hospital when you wake up, check on Rumpelstiltskin, then you can help. We’ll need your research skills at full strength. ”  
  
“Got it!” she said and couldn’t help but yawn ”Just let me sleep for no more than 3 hours, then come a wake me.” she added and headed towards the stairs and began to climb into the loft.  
  
“Alright then, first we need to find Emma,” Killian said as the others got back to the business at hand.   
  
Belle stopped mid-step, turned around, and said knowingly, “Oh…I know the answer to that one already.” Killian, stood abruptly knocking over his stool and at seeing everyone’s stunned face, she hastily added, “She’s The Dark One now.” and she nodded to the Dagger and continued. “When a person becomes The Dark One, they must return to where the Dark One originated as soon as possible.”  
  
“And where is that?” Mary Margaret asked.  
  
“There’s a cave deep below where The Dark One’s palace is built upon. That’s where they have to. That’s the origin spot.”   
  
“The Dark One’s palace…in The Enchanted Forest,” Regina stated.  
  
“Yes,” Belle confirmed a hint of sadness in her voice. “That’s where Emma is.”  
  
“Bloody hell!” Henry swore glancing over at the pirate with a more than pleased look on his face than was probably necessary.  
  
Killian could barely contain his laughter as the others looked at the lad in shock as Regina said loudly “Henry, language!”. She gave Killian a withering look knowing full well where her son picked up that phrase.  
  
Smirking, Killian only shrugged and replied “My thoughts exactly.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a fruitless and frustating week of research, Killian and the others are no where closer on finding a way to the the Enchanted Forest. That is until some of Henry's toys gives them the answer they were looking for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by gijane7702 and posted here with her permission.

_“We have to do what the Sorcerer did; tether it to a person and contain it.”_

 

  
  
Killian scowled at the calendar on the refrigerator as he crossed off another day. Emma had been Summoned back to The Enchanted Forest , to The Dark One’s castle, over a week ago and they were nowhere closer to even figuring out how to travel there than the day Belle told them where they would find her. He was feeling completely helpless…it was not a feeling he enjoyed. With a growl, he punched the refrigerator door and immediately regretted it.   
  
“Bloody hell,” he grunted, slumping against the wall while shaking his hand trying to shake away the pain.  
  
“Just so you know…the stainless steel is going to win every time,” Mary Margaret told him as she bustled up to him. Opening the freezer door, she took out the ice cube tray. Then she leaned over, opened a cabinet, and took out a plastic baggie. Dumping some ice into it, she handed the homemade ice pack to him. “I know you’re frustrated, Killian, but we’ll eventually figure it out. Everyone is working on it.”  
  
“I know…but still can’t help how I feel.” He smiled quickly at Emma’s mother, who returned it with an understanding smile of her own. “I’m going back to my research. Thanks for the ice.” Heading back to the kitchen table, he resumed his reading of yet another thick dusty tome about The Dark One Belle had given him. As elusive as it was being he knew the answer had to be in one of these books and scrolls.   
  
If he had known half of the information that Belle -who was married to the previous Dark One- had been providing as of late, Rumpelstiltskin would have been dead centuries ago. But instead, he was now awake and semi-alert,in the hospital...completely human again. The tempting idea that all it took would be a hook in the chest would actually kill him now…but Killian shoved that dark thought away. The past should stay in the past and he needed to focus on the future which was to find Emma and break the curse of the Dark One for good.   
  
In front of him, Mary Margaret’s phone laying on the table pinged. She walked over and picked it up. Reading the message, she told Killian, “David and Robin have left the station. They’re going to pick up Regina and Henry.” Another ping and then she said, “Belle is leaving the hospital now as well. Rumple is asleep again.”   
  
The loft had become the gathering place in lieu of Granny’s. Killian had been crashing upstairs in Emma’s room when he wasn’t researching. David had taken over as Sherriff and had deputized Robin. Regina had returned to the Mayor’s office to attempt to run her town that was still reeling in shock. She had kept Henry close in the past week seeing there was no need to expose him to the scrutiny he would have had if he had gone back to school. Belle was at the hospital gathering all the information she could about the castle and the Dark One from Rumpelstiltskin during his alert moments for when they finally figured out how to get there.  
  
“Leroy bringing dinner over?” Killian asked her as he shut the book in front of him. They both coughed at the puff of musty dust that rose up off the cover and out of the pages. “Sorry,” he muttered.  
  
“Damn straight he is,” Mary Margaret said matter of factly, getting up from the table to attend to a fussing Neal. Roland, playing with Henry’s old set of Tinker-Toys, had crashed whatever he had been attempting to build, and had woken the infant.  
  
“Sorry,” he apologized to Mary Margaret, wide eyed, but smiling so adorably that his dimple showed.   
  
“It’s ok, baby. No harm done…see, he’s almost asleep again,” she told him in what Killian referred to as her Mommy Voice.   
  
He couldn’t help but smirk as he watched her cooing at the toddler and her baby. This Mary Margaret was completely different from the one the dwarf had been faced with. Leroy had been repentant about his gossiping when faced with a seriously angry Mary Margaret. He had been running errands and other things, like bringing over dinner, to attempt to make up for it ever since. Another giggle drew Killian’s attention back to Roland.  
  
He was chasing after a rolling piece. Managing to catch it, he held it up in triumph for them to see. She told him he did a good job chasing down the piece, but Killian’s eyes narrowed as he observed the round toy in the child’s little hand. Then they narrowed more and it hit him; he knew how to get to Emma.   
  
“Bloody Hell” he swore under his breath. How in the seven seas could he have been so utterly blind to the most obvious answer.  
  
He stood up abruptly and crossed the room to where Roland was back to playing with the Tinker-Toys. He grabbed another round piece and whirled around to face Mary Margaret “Rigging,” he told her, showing her the piece.  
  
“Rigging?” she repeated back, in a completely puzzled tone.   
  
Killian opened his mouth to explain, but at the sound of people coming up the stairs, he told her, “Hold on.” A few moments later the door was unlocked and in came David, Robin, Regina, and Henry. Before any of them could even mutter a greeting, Killian held the toy back up and repeated, “Rigging.”  
  
Henry cocked his head to one side, squinted at the toy, and then agreed, “It does look like it…yeah.” He shrugged out of coat and dropped it on the couch. He immediately picked it up and hung it up when he caught the look his grandmother shot him, and then flopped down on the couch.  
  
“What about rigging?” Regina asked, sitting at the breakfast bar.   
  
“Ship’s rigging?” Robin asked as he lifted Roland up and greeted his son.   
  
Killian took a deep breath. “After I traded the Jolly Roger to Black Beard , before I left her, I swiped a piece of rigging as a souvenir.” He paused with an impatient huff as the buzzer rang. David crossed the room, and after confirming it was Belle, crossed back over to open the door for her.  
  
Belle entered holding several large books, her handbag with scrolls dangerously on the verge of falling out of and a carryout bag from Granny’s. She dropped her handbag on Henry’s lap, the books on the table, then looking at Mary Margaret she held up the bag and greeted everyone with, “For some reason, Leroy asked me to bring up dinner.”  
  
“Don’t blame him,” Mary Margaret replied, settling down in the rocking chair with Neal. Everyone chuckled.   
  
“So Killian,” David said, turning his attention back to his daughter’s True Love. “You were saying about rigging…”  
  
“The toy reminded me of the rigging I borrowed...well, stole,” Henry, hanging his step-grandmother’s handbag for her, snorted his approval. Taking another deep breath, Killian continued, “I gave said piece of rigging to Ursula who used it to open a portal to The Enchanted Forest and retrieve The Jolly Roger for me. We’ve been searching for an object to create a portal…but we know of two mermaids that can open portals without an object.”   
  
“Yes!” Regina exclaimed, standing up, knocking her stool over. “We summon the mermaids…nicely…we ask…call them…nicely,” she faltered at Mary Margaret’s exasperated look. “We call them, ask nicely if they can open a portal and we take your ship through it to The Enchanted Forest.”  
  
“That’s brilliant!” Belle said, who had moved all of Killian’s books and scrolls off the table and was setting it for dinner, agreed.   
  
Mary Margaret and David beamed approvingly at him. “I knew it’d be you find a way to Emma, no matter what,” she told him paraphrasing her husband’s catch phrase. David nodded his agreement. That meant more to Killian than anything had since his initial talk with Henry a week ago. Unlike before, he now had a family of sorts and they not only cared about what happened with him but they actively supported him too.   
  
“When are we leaving?” Henry asked excitedly, standing up and crossing over to put his jacket back on.  
  
“We are having dinner first,” Regina replied. The boy dejectedly hung his jacket back up.  
  
Killian noted that she didn’t immediately disqualify her son from going. He knew that he, as the ship’s captain, would go and that Regina, the only person left with magic, had to go also. Robin, as their appointed leader, would be part of the rescue mission, but the others he was unsure of.   
  
As everyone settled around the table, Henry blurted out, “I want to go.” The fierce look of determination on his face reminded Killian of Emma.   
  
All eyes swiveled towards Regina. She stabbed some lettuce of her salad with a fork, paused with it lifted halfway, and then said, “You can go.”  
  
“Really?” exclaimed Henry, Belle, and Mary Margaret.  
  
Regina, now with her mouth full, just raised an eyebrow. Henry crowed with glee. Belle shrugged, and then continued eating. Along with Killian, David, and Robin, she knew the decision was Regina’s alone. Only Mary Margaret still looked concerned, but refrained from commenting.   
  
“I can help Killian with the ship!” Henry said excitedly.  
  
Laying her fork down, his mother looked at him from across the table. “This is not a day excursion out on The Jolly Roger,” she told him sternly and the boy immediately shut his mouth. “It’s going to be extremely dangerous mission. We don’t know what condition Emma is in…but after your last adventure I have come to realize that you’re mature enough. But that doesn’t mean you’re an adult Do you understand?”   
  
“Yes, Mom.”  
  
“If I say hide, you hide. If I say run, you run. If I say you stay on the ship, you stay on the ship. No arguments. None. You do exactly as I say. Agreed?”  
  
“Agreed.” the boy said placatingly but Killian could see a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. He knew that Henry would be hard pressed to stand back and let all the action happen without him so he made a silent decision to keep an eye on the boy just in case.  
  
Seemingly satisfied with his affirmation, Regina placed her fork down next to her half eaten salad and continued, “That’s myself, Henry, and, obviously, Hook. Robin you will be coming too?” she asked with a hopeful tone in her voice.  
  
“I’ve been voted leader…I have to go,” he replied. Aside from that fact Killian also understood the man was going to watch over the woman he loved.  
  
Next at the table was Mary Margaret. She shifted Neal, and then said, “I’m not going.” At the look of surprise on David’s face and Killian’s raised eyebrow, she continued, “Emma is my daughter and I love her and Neal both…but she’s a grown woman and he’s only an infant. I know they both need me…and I’m completely torn…but logically Neal needs me more. David will go for both of us. He’ll explain to Emma if she asks.” David nodded and to Robin, she added, “And course I’ll watch over Roland if you want. Any problems with him...or the town… I’ll have Will, Little John with the rest of The Merry Men and the dwarfs as backup.”   
  
The last person at the table was Belle. “I don’t know,” she said. “Can I really leave Rumple in the state he’s in?”  
  
It was Killian, of all people, to respond. “You need to. Listen… I understand that The Crocodile’s health is precarious. But he’s in a hospital with excellent medical personnel and a gaggle of fairies that can keep him alive. We’re going to need you and your expertise on The Dark One’s castle and it’s secrets if we’re to get in, get Emma, and hopefully, get right out.”   
  
Belle nodded. “Then I will join you but I have to tell Rumple.”   
  
Robin did a quick tally. “So…it’s Regina, Henry, Hook, David, Belle, and myself.” Then he asked, “How do we summon…er, call for the mermaids?”  
  
“With the Conch Shell,” Regina, Belle, and Killian all answered at once.   
  
“Which is at the shop,” Belle added.   
  
Killian corrected her. ”It’s now on my ship. I…er, borrowed it to summon…call…for Ursula, then her father.”   
  
“Her father?” Belle asked curiously.   
  
“Poseidon.” Killian answered simply.  
  
“As in the god of the sea and a slew of other stuff…that Poseidon?” Henry asked. At Regina’s motherly beam of approval, he added, “See…I do pay attention in school.”   
  
“That’s the one, my boy.” Killian said with a smile of his own on his face.  
  
Regina looked impressed. Her father may have been born a prince but she had to admit to have a god as a parent was impressive.   
  
“Well then that’s settled” Robin spoke up, “Hook has the Shell so let’s get packed, meet at the ship, and summon…I mean call us some mermaids.”  
  
“Hopefully whoever answers the call will be sympathetic to our request, “” Killian said rising from the table. “If we are in luck maybe the king himself will answer.”  
  
As he made to remove his plate, Mary Margaret waved him away. “I’ll take care of that. You need to go get the ship ready.”   
  
Everyone agreed on two hours’ time in order to get prepared and do what they needed to do, then meet at the dock where The Jolly Roger was berthed. Killian gathered a few of the books and scrolls he knew would be of use to them on their mission, hugged Mary Margaret and Neal goodbye, and headed out towards his ship.  
  
The town seemed quieter and calmer than it had in recent days…as if the townspeople already knew through a sixth sense that the rescue mission to save Emma was getting underway.   
  
Killian reached the ship after passing only a few people on Main Street and as the time passed quickly he still managed to make sure that the cabins were habitable. Staying in touch with David and Regina through his talking phone he made sure that there would be enough provisions on board for the journey.   
  
He was in his quarters when the gangway boards creaking overhead alerted him that his shipmates were boarding. For one final preparation, he unattached his hook, opened the safe, and removed The Conch Shell. Locking the safe and reattaching his hook, he crossed the room to climb the ladder up to the main deck.   
  
“Welcome aboard,” he greeted everyone. Holding out the Conch Shell, he asked, “Who wants the honors?”  
  
There was a pause, and then Henry said, “I’ll do it.”  
  
He crossed the deck and took the Shell from Killian. When he nodded his approval, the boy glanced at his mother, who nodded her approval. He took a deep breath, exhaled, then raising the Shell to his lips; he gave a mighty blow into it.  
  
The wait seemed endless, but Killian finally spotted the ripples in the water before anyone else did. The waves grew rougher, from a gentle lapping against the ship’s hull, to where the vessel began to rock. Finally, a whirlpool began to form right off the starboard side of the bow, and from it, Poseidon himself majestically rose. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our group of heroes find themselves transported by Poseidon to a familiar castle and Killian speaks a name....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by gijane7702 and posted here with her permission.

_“Emma!”_

_“No!”_

_“You’ve worked too hard to have your happiness destroyed.”_

 

 

As they watched, a wave bore the god up to the ship’ side and he stepped on board. Ignoring everyone but Killian, he walked up to him and settled his full gaze on him.

“I knew it was only  a matter of time before I would be hearing from you, Captain. What is it that you think you need from me?” His deep voice held the power of authority that brooked no dallying around, but then Killian was never one for being that way in the first place.

“We need to get to the Enchanted Forest, Poseidon,” he said “so that we can get to Emma.”

“Aaaah the new Dark One.” the god nodded his understanding. “That I can do for you this one time in thanks for bringing my daughter back to me.”

Killian looked at him in shock. He had been  ready to plead his case to the god and here he was acquiescing without a fight.

“What, the famous Captain Hook is speechless?” Poseidon chuckled “And I thought this I would never see.”

“Thank you.” Killian said simply and the god gave him a short nod.

Poseidon walked to the bow of the ship and with a wave of his trident, the  gangway magically disappeared, the mooring lines unhitched themselves, and the ship’s sails unfurled. Killian quickly moved  to the wheel to steer her as the god called up the winds and waves to move the ship out into open water.  As The Jolly Roger sailed out of Storybrooke Harbor, the others tied themselves down in preparation for the turbulent ride between the realms and when they reached open waters, a giant whirlpool formed all the way down to the floor and a portal was opened.

Guiding the ship through the gateway, Killian was prepared to have to fight the currents as he had done in the past, but it was an unexpectedly smooth sailing through the funnel. Poseidon himself stood untethered at the bow looking for all as if he was enjoying himself on a leisurely cruise. The ship rode silently through until it surfaced on the other end, not even breaking the eerie silence of The Enchanted Forest at sunset. When the ship settled and everyone untied themselves, they looked toward the god and he indicated behind them.

“I thought you would prefer to start your journey from this point.” he said with a mild smile on his face.

Killian and his shipmates turned around to find they had surfaced in the harbor that surrounded the remains Snow White and Prince Charming’s castle.

“Oh Snow..” Killian heard David whisper to himself, his voice thick with emotion. This was the first time he had seen their castle since the initial curse, their first home together that was supposed to be Emma’s too. Killian could only take seeing the sadness on his face before he had to turn away feeling overcome with the sense of loss also. This was not the time for that.

Steering the ship towards the docks, Poseidon spoke to her captain as he walked up beside him at the wheel, “Once you are done here, all you have to do to is summon me with the Conch for the return trip.”  and Killian gave him a quick nod of understanding.

The Jolly Roger docked perfectly: the mooring lines attached themselves to the bollards on the dock, the sails furled themselves up, and the gangway reappeared.

“I couldn’t have done a better job meself.”  Killian said, unable to resist the comment and was rewarded with Regina raising  an eyebrow at the audacity of  his sass, but the god found it amusing. Chuckling, he told him, “I don’t doubt that, Captain.”  

With a wave of his trident another wave of water appeared on the side of the ship and Poseidon stepped onto it. “I wish you the best of luck to all of you. A world without The Darkness will be a better place for all of us.”   

“Give my best to Ursula for me.” Killian said at the last minute surprising himself at the sincerity in his voice.

Poseidon smiled at him fondly. “I will Captain. Goodbye for now. “ and with that he disappeared into the Ocean.

Everyone gathered their belongings, disembarked and David led the way from the docks towards the castle. With night falling, with a wave of her hand, Regina  lit the torches as they passed by the gatehouse and crossed the bailey to the main doors of the keep. David and Robin heaved the doors open and cautiously stepped inside the Great Hall.

Looking around and taking in the destruction of what was once his home, David said toward Regina “You certainly do a thorough job with your curses.”  

“Of course I do,” she replied coolly, but with no remorse as she finished lighting the Hall. David’s eyes narrowed slightly at her, but he didn’t reply.

As Killian was sensing the latent tension and hoping that things would remain civil between the two, Robin announced, “We’re going to make camp here for the night. We’ll set out for The Dark Castle at day break. It will be a long  journey, but since we will start out early we should arrive well before sunset.”

Henry, who had been studying a pair of suits of armor, turned around. “Why not just summon Mom here now?” he asked with a note of hope in his voice.

Killian watched Regina’s hand instinctively move to her jacket where he knew in the inner pocket rested Emma’s Dagger. “You know why Henry, “ She began trying to sound sympathetic but Killian could tell she was uncomfortable. “We don’t know what condition she’s in. And, quite honestly, I’d rather face The Dark…Emma,” she corrected herself, “in daylight.”

Henry looked like he was going to argue, so Killian laid his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Why don’t we go look around the castle, lad,” he said by way of distraction. “Find somewhere to bunk down for the night.”

It worked, Henry’s face brightened. He grabbed a candelabrum and took off down the hallway. Belle, grabbing a torch, chased after him, calling, “Wait for me!”

“It was my…our…castle…I’m going have to show Henry and Belle where to go…” David said to them, exiting the Great Hall in their direction. Regina, Robin, and Killian could hear him calling, “The dungeons and cellars are that way…” and Henry’s response of “awesome!”  then Belle’s question of “do you have a library?” and the pirate couldn’t help but chuckle at Belle’s query. Naturally that would be her first question.

Regina looked gratefully at Killian for his intervention, knowing that he had saved her from an argument with her son. She bit her lip, and then said, “Now that he’s gone, I can bring up a sort of…sensitive… subject.”

Robin raised a curious eyebrow and Killian was also intrigued but also wary. Her tone told him that this may not be something pleasant for him. Before Regina could continue, Henry called from down the corridor, “You coming, Killian? You should see all the neat stuff Grandpa’s showing me!”

Killian glanced apologetically at Regina, and then called back, “I’ll be there in a minute, lad.” lowering his voice, he asked Regina, “What is it? You know the boy has the patience of his other mother which is none.”

Regina pursed her lips and her forehead furrowed.“You know what can break any curse?” she asked.

“True Love’s Kiss, what of it?” Killian replied promptly.

Robin nodded his agreement, and then asked, “Even the Dark One’s curse?”

“Yes, Even The Dark One’s curse,” Regina told him.

“Are you sure?” Killian asked her realizing where this was going and a flare of hope rose up in him.

“Just ask Belle,” she replied in a blase’ manner and both men understood there was a story behind the comment she did not want to share. “Now…we all heard Emma tell you that she loves you. And I…well all of us…even Emma know by your actions that you love her…so….

“If I kiss her, I will break the curse…” he finished for her and his heart began to soar believing that this could all be over sooner than he expected. “ But Regina gave him a look that stilled him in silence.

“Problem is lover boy, is if you break the curse, The Darkness would no longer be tethered to Emma…and it would just find another host. ”

Robin’s eyes widened as he realized what Regina was saying. “Bloody hell,” he cursed under his breath.

“Precisely mate,” Killian growled, realizing what this meant in total: there would be no kissing or touching of any kind so that Emma would remain The Dark One until they found Merlin. He would have to keep his distance.

Regina gave him a commiserating look, and then reached into her jacket pocket. She silently held out to Killian The Dark One’s Dagger. “You should be carrying this now.”

He eyed it up, hesitating to take the burden. “I don’t have magic to protect it,” he told her.

“If I have to, I’ll protect you,” she replied. “And yes you are strong enough to carry the burden.”

He nodded his consent, took the Dagger and slipped it into the inside pocket of his jacket. It weighed practically nothing physically but  the emotional weight of it was almost too much to bear. Killian knew it was his responsibility to protect Emma, and that started with protecting her Dagger.  “It’s so heavy,” he whispered.

“It is,” Regina replied, tears in her eyes. Robin took her hand and kissed it.

Hand on his sword, hook on his heart, he told the woman was formally known as the Evil QUeen, “I’ll guard it with my life.”

“I know you will.” She returned.

He smiled briefly at Regina and Robin, then turned and headed down the corridor towards Henry. David had lit the torches as he walked by, so there was plenty of light. Killian could see, even though the destruction of the curse, the beauty of the castle, from the mosaics on the ceilings and floors, to the precious items in the enclaves, to the suits of armor, flags, various weapons and other items on display. His pirate self that had been remained quiet for the most part nowadays whispered in his mind the value of all the items he saw and what these treasures would fetch if he was still in that life. He couldn’t help but feel the pull of longing for it. A pirate he was and always will be at heart but now he understood there was treasure far more precious and valuable to him than these objects he walked past… Emma and their love for each other.

He walked up a flight of stairs and down another corridor that he heard the voices of the others coming from  and to the doors to a room that were thrown open. Killian stepped inside to find himself inside the remains of what once was a nursery. He spotted Henry, halfway in a wardrobe, exclaiming over the toys spilling out of it. David though was staring at a cradle in the center of the room. He turned around as Killian approached him and by the stricken look on his face, Killian realized they were in what would have been Emma’s nursery.  

“I’m so sorry, mate,” he said quietly to her father.

David nodded his appreciation, and then told him, “Henry has decided to sleep here tonight. It’s rather fitting don’t you think?. His mother never spent a night in this room…but her son will.” Tears were forming in his eyes as his voice started to choke up on the last words. Clearing his throat, he said a bit louder,” I have to go make sure Belle found the Library ok.”

“I’ll watch over Henry,” Killian told him and David gave him a grateful smile.

“I know you will…just like you’ll watch over my little girl when we get her back.” Before Killian could reply, David turned and left the nursery.

He was already an emotional wreck from the events of the past week, Regina’s fateful warning and  protecting Emma’s Dagger. Her father’s comment just put him over the edge. He stumbled to the rocking chair near the cradle and threw himself into it. Covering his eyes with his hand, he attempted hid his tears from Emma’s son.

Killian sensed Henry more than he heard him. When he looked up, the boy was standing in front of him, holding out what looked like a sheet for the cradle. “I miss Mom too,” he said quietly as Killian took the sheet and wiped his eyes.

“I know you do, lad. Thank you.”

Henry smiled at him then turned and went to another wardrobe to explore its contents. Reaching into his jacket pocket, Killian withdrew Emma’s Dagger. To himself, he said, “It’s a heavy duty to bear, but I will bear it.” Killian traced Emma’s name engraved in the Dagger, murmuring it out loud. “Emma Swan.”

There was a loud crack, like the sound of something hitting the floor making Killian’s head jerked up thinking Henry had dropped something or hurt himself. But before he could call out to the boy, Emma’s voice from behind them on the balcony, said, “It’s about time!”

“Mom!” Henry shouted, running towards her. Killian reached out to grab his arm, heeding Regina’s warnings, but missed and the boy threw himself into his mother’s arms.

Killian’s breath caught, but the only thing that happened was that Emma hugged her son back tightly. “I knew you’d find me,” she whispered into his hair. Still holding Henry, she looked up and over at Killian, her green eyes burning with at bright intensity that was totally new and held him in his place. “I knew you’d both find me.”

“I love you,” Killian said, the words spilling out of his mouth without thinking and she smiled a brilliant smile that took his breath away.

“I know,” she replied.

 


End file.
